Understand Illinois’ instructor-license categories

Illinois generally distinguishes between two real estate instructor credentials:

• Pre-License Instructor License: Allows an instructor to teach approved pre-license, post-license, and continuing-education courses, unless IDFPR limits the instructor to particular subjects or courses.
• Continuing Education Instructor License: Authorizes an instructor to teach approved continuing-education courses. An instructor who wants to teach pre-license, post-license, or broker-management courses must obtain a Pre-License Instructor License.

The license is issued by the IDFPR Division of Real Estate. Education providers must also hold an active Illinois education-provider license before offering courses that satisfy Illinois licensing or continuing-education requirements.

Typical requirements for a Pre-License Instructor License

Applicants for an Illinois Pre-License Instructor License generally must satisfy three core requirements.

1. Pass the instructor examination

Applicants must pass an examination approved by the Division of Real Estate and administered through PSI. The published minimum passing score is 75%.

Because examination procedures, scheduling information, and testing requirements can change, confirm the current examination details with IDFPR and PSI before registering.

2. Demonstrate subject-matter expertise

Applicants must demonstrate expertise through one of the qualifying backgrounds recognized by IDFPR. The published alternatives include:

• Holding an active Illinois broker or managing-broker license for at least the immediately preceding two years.
• Being admitted to practice law by the Illinois Supreme Court.
• Having at least two years of prior teaching experience.
• Demonstrating an appropriate professional background and experience.

The rules do not make a real estate broker license the only possible route. An attorney, experienced educator, or professional with a sufficiently relevant background may qualify, but IDFPR may evaluate the nature and relevance of that experience.

3. Complete instructor-development education

Applicants must complete a 12-hour instructor-development course administered over at least two days and approved by the Division of Real Estate.

The course consists of:

• Six hours of instructor training and development.
• Six hours devoted to teaching the content of Illinois pre-license courses.

IDFPR specifically states that IDECC or Illinois Real Estate Educational Foundation certification does not substitute for this Illinois-approved instructor-development requirement.

Typical requirements for a CE Instructor License

The requirements for a CE Instructor License differ from those for a Pre-License Instructor License.

Complete a six-hour instructor-development course

Applicants must successfully complete a six-hour instructor-development course approved by the Division of Real Estate.

Meet an experience, education, or professional-credential standard

The published IDFPR requirements identify several possible qualification routes. An applicant may qualify by:

• Holding an active broker or managing-broker license for the immediately preceding three years.
• Being admitted to practice law and having spent the preceding three years engaged in real estate-related legal work or teaching real estate pre-license courses.
• Being a credentialed real estate-course instructor who has taught for the preceding three years.
• Being approved by a college or university to teach in a real estate degree program.
• Holding an applicable license or certification—such as certified real estate appraiser, mortgage loan originator, home inspector, auctioneer, or certified public accountant—for the preceding three years.
• Demonstrating qualifications through relevant teaching experience, real estate experience, or real estate, business, or legal education.

These alternatives mean that an applicant may not need to hold an Illinois broker license if another qualifying background applies. However, applicants relying on education, teaching, or professional experience should be prepared to provide documentation showing how the background relates to the subjects they intend to teach.

Apply through IDFPR

After completing the required training and satisfying the experience or expertise standard, the typical application process is:

1. Review the current instructor requirements published by IDFPR.
2. Decide whether the Pre-License Instructor or CE Instructor category matches the courses to be taught.
3. Complete the required Illinois-approved instructor-development course.
4. Take and pass the PSI examination if applying for a Pre-License Instructor License.
5. Gather supporting materials, such as proof of education, professional licenses, teaching experience, resumes, or other evidence of expertise.
6. Submit the appropriate instructor application and fee through the IDFPR online services portal.
7. Respond promptly if IDFPR requests additional documentation or clarification.
8. Confirm that the license is active before teaching an approved course.

The IDFPR licensing brochure lists an initial fee of $150 for a Pre-License Instructor License and $100 for a CE Instructor License. Fees can change, so verify the amount shown in the current application or online portal before submitting payment.

Work with an approved education provider

An instructor license alone does not authorize an individual to operate a real estate school or offer state-credit courses independently. Illinois requires education providers offering qualifying pre-license, post-license, or continuing-education courses to hold an active provider license issued by IDFPR.

In practice, most instructors teach through an approved provider. Before accepting an assignment, confirm that:

• The provider’s Illinois license is active.
• The specific course is approved for the intended type of education.
• The provider has submitted the instructor’s current license information when required.
• The course format, attendance procedures, examinations, and records comply with Illinois requirements.

A provider’s course application may require an instructor résumé or biography and the instructor’s current, active Illinois instructor-license number.

Build qualifications that schools value

Although the state’s formal requirements are the starting point, education providers commonly look for instructors who can explain rules clearly and connect them to practical transactions. Useful preparation includes:

• Maintaining an active Illinois broker or managing-broker license, when applicable.
• Developing transaction experience in contracts, agency, finance, leasing, fair housing, or property management.
• Learning Illinois licensing statutes, administrative rules, and IDFPR course requirements.
• Obtaining classroom, webinar, or adult-learning teaching experience.
• Creating organized lesson plans, examples, exercises, and assessments.
• Tracking changes to Illinois forms, license law, agency rules, fair-housing requirements, and continuing-education subjects.

A strong résumé should distinguish actual teaching experience from informal presentations and should identify the real estate topics taught, audience, dates, and delivery format.

Maintain compliance after approval

An Illinois instructor should monitor license-renewal obligations and keep professional credentials current. A broker or managing broker serving as an instructor should also satisfy the continuing-education requirements applicable to that underlying license.

Instructors should use only current course materials and follow the approved provider’s procedures for attendance, testing, course delivery, and student records. Teaching a course outside the scope of the instructor’s license or outside the provider’s approval can create compliance problems.

Confirm current rules before applying

Illinois instructor requirements, fees, forms, approved workshops, and online-portal procedures may be revised. The controlling sources are the current IDFPR instructor-requirement documents, the Illinois Real Estate License Act, applicable administrative rules, and instructions issued by IDFPR’s Division of Real Estate.

If an applicant’s background does not fit one of the listed categories, the safest approach is to contact the Division of Real Estate Education unit or obtain written guidance from IDFPR before paying for a course or submitting an application. An Illinois-approved education provider may also help identify qualifying instructor-development workshops, but the state regulator controls licensing and approval decisions.

Authoritative Sources

• Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation—Real Estate Brokerage
• IDFPR Pre-License Instructor Requirements
• IDFPR Continuing Education Instructor Requirements
• Illinois Real Estate License Act of 2000—225 ILCS 454
• IDFPR Division of Real Estate Licensing and Education Brochure